Carbon fiber could make next generation iPads lighter

It describes an outer shell for electronic devices composed of a “layered fiber-in-matrix type material, such as CFRP,” otherwise known as carbon fiber-reinforced polymer.

Illustrations that accompany the filing show a single, unibody housing similar in shape to the iPad. Apple’s current, first-generation iPad has a solid aluminum back.

Apple notes that electronic enclosures plastic tend to crack, while metal ones are certainly more durable, but also more expensive and heavier – and in this area, the iPad will certainly soar!

However, the carbon fiber used alone doesn’t have all the advantages: it is also prone to cracks and squeaks. That is why the engineers in Cupertino pffer a mixed solution: a layer of carbon fiber supported by a metal frame. That would be ideal for a second generation bar!